The 11 best villages to visit an hour away from London

Who wouldn't want to get away from the Big Smoke for a day to explore this? (Image: Grahame Larter/Surrey Advertiser)

We love the hustle and bustle, the noise and quick pace and chaos of our city. But everybody needs a break every now and again, right?

One of the great things about London is that it's just a stone's throw away from the country - where we can play villager for the day before going back to the 'comfort' of our tube seats (if we're lucky to get one).

And because our London life is, obviously, just sooo super busy, we might just need to stop at a pub or two on the way to, you know, chill for five.

Here's the best villages within an hour of London where you can walk without being shoulder-barged, take a deep breath fresh air (for once), and soak up a more *relaxing* kind of culture.

1. Shere, Surrey

If you think Shere looks like a village straight out of a movie, that's because it is.

Officially one of the prettiest villages in Surrey, and a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it's no surprise that the adorable spot has been used as a movie location.

You might recognise it from the wedding scene in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, or you may have spotted one of it's countryside cottages in The Holiday (ok, you have to look past Jude Law to see it.)

Tom Cruise has even made a stop there, filming a scene for his 2017 film The Mummy in the woodland surrounding Shere.

And if you've been living under a rock for over a decade and missed all those releases, you could still make the trip to enjoy a 12th Century church, a little museum, and the nearby Silent Pool, said to be the spot where a local maiden drowned escaping the advances of none other than King John.

How to get there:

Trains run from Waterloo to Guildford and then you can hop on a bus to the Shere Village Hall, with the whole journey taking just over an hour.

3. Ripley, Surrey

If Ripley was good enough for Admiral Nelson, it's good enough for us.

On the 18th century route from London to Portsmouth, the British naval officer stopped off at The Talbot Inn in the village for a pint and a good night's sleep before setting off to fight Napoleon.

We'd much rather jump on the M25 back to London, thanks.

But with no wars to fight today we could chill out in the village a little longer, buy some local produce at the farmer's market on the green, eat and drink in one of the many pubs, and if you're there in July you might even catch the Ripley Event summer carnival or the Ripley Rocks music festival featuring local bands and family entertainment.

If you're looking for something a little more rock and roll, you can visit the house where Eric Clapton was born and raised looking over the village green.

How to get there:

Trains run from Waterloo to Clandon and a bus takes you from the station to Ripley, all in an hour and ten minutes.

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4. Betchworth, Surrey

This is another village seen on the big screen. St Michael's Church was used for the opening scene of the classic film Four Weddings and a Funeral.

If movies don't float your boat, Betchworth is proud to present the ruins of its very own castle built in the 11th Century.

It's no Windsor, we must admit, but it is nearly a thousand years old.

We wouldn't recommend going there at night, though. Legend has it the castle is haunted by a black dog who prowls the ruins at night.

And as if that wasn't enough, you'll also have to escape the ghost of Lord Hope, who is said to have accidentally killed his own son and now paces the castle in remorse.

If you like the look of the crumbling property, you're actually a little late. The castle was bought last year by Martin Higgins for just £1, and he plans to revamp the site and build steps leading down to the lake.

A castle for a quid? Clearly the property prices out there are not what they are in the city.

How to get there:

Hop on a train from Waterloo to Guildford or Woking where you can change for a train to Betchworth in an hour and 15 minutes.

5. Eton, Berkshire

Try to cast your mind away from the image of pompous schoolboys in black tailcoats and think of a pretty, waterside village across the river from Windsor.

Besides Eton College, it's known for being a haven for antique shoppers.

And once you've grabbed your latest collectable, you can enter the the scavenger challenge organised by Team Activity Group, who organise missions for teams competing against each other across the village.

In our experience of family games, it will all end in tears.

So if you want to avoid the tantrums you can visit the college, second only to Winchester as the oldest public school in England, or head to the Windsor & Eton Brewery and taste some of their delightful produce.

We know what we would go for.

How to get there:

Waterloo trains stop at Winsdor and Eton riverside, and the village is just a five minute walk from there, making the total journey time around 50 minutes.

6. Alfriston, East Sussex

This village is tucked into the Cuckmere River valley, making it a great spot for hiking sightseers.

If you left your hiking boots at home (maybe on purpose, we're not judging) you can take a little stroll around the Tudor village and soak in the history of the medieval thatch-and-timber Clergy House and St Andrew's Church.

And when you inevitably need a rest from all your hard work, have a sit down on the picturesque village green or a drink in the Tudor-style pub, The Star.

It's history, right?

And if you remember the horror of squawking 'Morning has Broken' first thing at school assembly, then you can thank Alfriston, which inspired author Eleanor Farjeon to write the song when she visited the village.

How to get there:

It's about an hour and 10 minutes to Polegate or Lewes train station from Victoria, then there's a ten minute bus to the village.

7. Lurgashall, West Sussex

Lurgashall is difficult to find if you don't know where you're going, and it's full of small, winding roads.

It's worth getting the map out to locate the Lurgashall Winery, which sells mead, honey, gin and raspberry liqueur.

The journey back might get a little more difficult the longer your visit.

Getting lost could be a good thing, though. You might come across the watermill, some beautiful village cottages, or the 16thC Noah's Ark pub which sells some great meals using home-grown ingredients.

How to get there:

Haslemere is the closest station, and you can get there from Waterloo in an hour. You would have to get two buses to get to the village from there, so it's probably easier to make the ten minute drive by taxi.

8. Chilham, Kent

A brewery, pub, and picturesque views of white picket fences and medieval cottages.

What more could you need from a village getaway?

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, you don't have to go far to get an experience with Joe's Bows, who offer a birds of prey experience day. You can fly owls, hawks, vultures and other birds and chat to bird expert Joe about his unusual pets.

And Chilham Castle is pretty stunning, featuring outdoor theatre performances from Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Company in the gardens and tours of the medieval house and stables.

How to get there:

From St Pancras International you can change at Ashford International to take a train to Chilham, taking an hour and 15 minutes.

9. Amersham, Buckinghamshire

If you feel the need to come back to the future, Amersham village is a great combination of heritage buildings and modern day shops and cafes.

There's also bits and pieces to please the history buffs.

Lollards, a religious movement following John Wycliffe, rocked up in the 14th Century preaching barefoot in the streets. Many of them were burnt at the stake in the 16th Century, but their legacy lives on in the Martyrs Memorial off Station Road.

The market hall was built in 1682 by Sir William Drake, who decorated the front with his coats of arms and initials. Modest bloke.

How to get there:

Trains from Marylebone go straight to Amersham in 25 minutes.

10. Cookham, Berkshire

On the River Thames, Cookham was the inspiration for landscape painter Sir Stanley Spencer, who used the village's scenery in the background of many of his paintings.

It's also the home of a bizarre ceremony in which the Queen’s Swan Warden (yes, that's an actual job) collects all the cygnets, checks they're healthy and assigns the Queen's ownership over them with a coloured tag.

If you were a fan of the Wind in the Willow books you can fangirl over The Mount, a Grade II listed house where the author, Kenneth Grahame, lived with his grandmother when he wrote the children's classics.

And if none of that takes your fancy, head to Cookham Rise, the village's very own modern shopping development.

How to get there:

Take a train from Paddington to Maidenhead and then from Maidenhead to Cookham in an hour and five minutes.

11. Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire

The most important thing you need to know about this village is that Roald Dahl lived there.

There's a whole trail dedicated to the author, and you can walk from his grave past the buildings that inspired Sophie’s 'orphanage' in The BFG, or the library Matilda went to whilst her mum was at bingo.

There's a even a museum dedicated to interactive storytelling, which now homes his real writing hut.

The local business have embraced the connection to the author, and you can visit Café Twit on the high street for a coffee.

If you are not familiar with the work of Roald Dahl (and evidently had a deprived childhood) there are still great walking routes from the village along the Misbourne Stream and back through Chilterns woodlands and farmland.

How to get there:

Trains from Marylebone go straight to Great Missenden in 35 minutes.

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